This year, students can register for summer and fall classes months earlier than they could last year. Summer registration starts on March 25 and fall registration starts on April 22. In 2024, student registration for summer rolled out in April and students couldn’t register for fall classes until July.
Albert Abutin, dean of enrollment services, said that earlier registration dates have been in the works for several years. This included working alongside faculty, curriculum representatives and the counseling department, as well as Cypress College, NOCE and the NOCCCD district office to ensure this change would work for everyone.
These registration dates are intended to remain the same for upcoming semesters and if necessary, adjustments will be made. This comes after consecutively holding summer registration in May and fall registration in July from 2021 to 2023. In the summer of 2024 registration was held a month earlier while fall registration remained the same.
The goal is to increase enrollment for first-time students and online students, and also increase retention for continuing students by giving them more time to plan ahead, according to Abutin.
“That way we can do a lot of the things to help our students to make sure that they’re ready before they leave for that next semester,” said Abutin.
Students will begin receiving their summer registration appointments during the second week of March and fall registration appointments during the second week of April. Once students log in to the online platform, myGateway, they’ll receive a notification when their registration appointment is available and students will also receive an email.
Students who are a part of programs such as Disability Support Services (DSS), Foster Youth Success Initiative (FYSI), Umoja Community Program, and the Rising Scholars Program will be offered priority registration. Students must meet the requirements for new and returning students or continuing students to receive priority registration.
In order to offer registration earlier, that means faculty had to start planning what classes they would offer much earlier. In previous years, faculty would submit schedules one semester in advance and last year faculty turned in their schedules for the upcoming fall term in fall of 2024.
“As a full-time faculty member, I submit my preference sheets to request the classes a lot earlier than I used to. So it’s a little strange to have to think a year and a half down the line,” said Bridget Kominek, Faculty Senate president. “It doesn’t feel like it’s too much of a burden, especially keeping in mind how much it will benefit students.”
Kominek says the period between the day she confirms her schedule to the day classes start offers her more time to think about any changes she’d like to make regarding materials and accommodations in her personal life.
“Just as a working parent, it helps me know further in advance what classes I’ll be teaching and what my teaching schedule will be so that I can adjust for childcare,” says Kominek.
Joshua Ashenmiller, history department coordinator, said earlier scheduling can lead to department coordinators having to make more changes later on. When faculty members encounter schedule conflicts and can’t follow through with a class, department coordinators need to find a replacement for students. “The further into the future you schedule, the more times this happens,” said Ashenmiller.
Students across different majors have reacted differently to earlier registration as they also consider how this impacts their peers and their own schedules.
“I think it’s good for us so that we don’t have to worry about classes or having to register late,” said Brittlay Carillo, a business major. “I think it’s easier because then once you do it and then you go into the class, you can see whether or not you like it.
Natalie Tarango, a real estate major, said she is concerned for those students who may not be able to get into the classes they need when registering later because they’re already full. “I think there’s a point in time where, like, being too early is kind of hard,” said Tarango.
In the past, Fullerton College held registration dates for students after other school districts nearby. Now, earlier registration is meant to help students feel more prepared by giving them an opportunity to sign up for classes and confirm their schedules ahead of time. Abutin said adding these registration dates also aligns better with nearby high school districts.
“I definitely think this is going to make us more competitive because, as a student, if you’re deciding between two schools you want to be able to guarantee which class you are going to get at whatever institution,” said Abutin. “So I think this puts us in a better position to make sure we’re providing all of our potential students options.”